Plug cap

• US 8,851,915 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takao, Fuma, Tomohiro, Ohta, Junpei, Kitamura, Ryohei, Sonoda, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US13/580,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 439/272, 439/578, 439/125
• US Class Current: 439/272
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 13/00 Sparking plugs structurally combined with other parts of internal-combustion engines connection of ignition coil to spark plug connector F02P3/02; with fuel injectors F02M57/06 ; spark plug connector per se H01T13/04 – H01T13/06; predominant aspects of sparking plug, see H01T13/40 – H01T13/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 13/06 Covers forming a part of the plug and protecting it against adverse environment

Abstract

One object of the invention is to provide a plug cap that more reliably prevents the leakage of current by suppressing the ingress of water from a gap between a terminal body and a rubber member.

A plug cap 1 includes an electrical connection portion 5 that electrically connects a spark plug to a plug cord, a terminal body 2 that is provided on the outer periphery of the electrical connection portion 5, and a cylindrical rubber member 3 which is mounted on at least one of one end portion and the other end portion of the terminal body 2 and into which the spark plug or the like is inserted. The terminal body 2 includes a one end-side insertion portion 41 which is formed at one end of the terminal body and into which the spark plug is inserted and the other end-side insertion portion 42 which is formed at the other end of the terminal body and into which the plug cord is inserted. The rubber member 3 includes an inner cylindrical portion 31 that is inserted into the one end-side insertion portion 41 or the other end-side insertion portion 42, and a cylindrical outer cylindrical portion 32 that is positioned close to the outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion 31. The inner cylindrical portion 31 includes annular protrusions 35 that come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the terminal body 2.

Claims

1. A plug cap comprising:

an electrical connection portion that electrically connects a spark plug to a plug cord, the spark plug being connected to one end of the electrical connection portion and the plug cord being connected to an opposite end of the electrical connection portion;

a terminal body that is made of a resin, is provided on an outer periphery of the electrical connection portion, and includes a one end-side insertion portion formed at one end of the terminal body and into which the spark plug is inserted, and an opposite end-side insertion portion formed at an opposite end of the terminal body and into which the plug cord is inserted, at least the one end-side insertion portion and the opposite end-side insertion portion being formed in a cylindrical shape; and

a cylindrical rubber member mounted on at least one of one end portion and an opposite end portion of the terminal body and into which the spark plug or the plug cord is inserted,

wherein the rubber member includes;

an inner cylindrical portion inserted into a one end-side insertion portion or the opposite end-side insertion portion of the terminal body,

an outer cylindrical portion positioned close to an outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion and disposed with the terminal body interposed between the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion, and

a connecting portion that connects a lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion to a portion of the inner cylindrical portion that extends below the lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion, and

the inner cylindrical portion includes;

at least one annular protrusion extending radially outward from the inner cylindrical portion and coming into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the terminal body.

2. The plug cap according to claim 1,

wherein the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body,

the electrical connection portion includes:

a connector bracket having one end portion that comes into contact with the spark plug, and

a leading end portion of the inner cylindrical portion, facing the opposite end of the terminal body, that extends to one end face of the connector bracket, or is positioned closer to the opposite end portion of the terminal body than the one end face of the connector bracket.

3. The plug cap according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the annular protrusion includes two annular portions formed on the inner cylindrical portion in a range of a length of the outer cylindrical portion.

4. The plug cap according to claim 3,

wherein the spark plug includes:

a cylindrical metal shell; and

an insulator inserted into the metal shell and having a rear end-side body portion exposed from the metal shell,

a step portion and a cylindrical portion, positioned closer to the metal shell than the step portion, and formed on the outer periphery of the rear end-side body portion, with the rear end-side body portion being inserted into the one end-side insertion portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug,

the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body, and

the two annular protrusions are formed on the inner cylindrical portion at a position that faces the cylindrical portion of the rear end-side body portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug.

5. The plug cap according to claim 1,

wherein a length of the inner cylindrical portion from the connecting portion is larger than a length of the outer cylindrical portion from the connecting portion.

6. The plug cap according to claim 1,

wherein the rubber member includes a reduced-diameter portion, having a diameter that is reduced stepwise and/or continuously toward the opposite end portion of the terminal body opposite to the end portion of both of the end portions of the terminal body on which the rubber member is mounted, and

the reduced-diameter portion is formed at a leading end portion of the outer cylindrical portion facing the opposite end portion of the terminal body portion.

7. A plug cap comprising:

an electrical connection portion that electrically connects a spark plug to a plug cord, the spark plug being connected to one end of the electrical connection portion and the plug cord being connected to an opposite end of the electrical connection portion;

a terminal body made of a resin provided on an outer periphery of the electrical connection portion and including a one end-side insertion portion formed at one end of the terminal body and into which the spark plug is inserted, and an opposite end-side insertion portion formed at an opposite end of the terminal body and into which the plug cord is inserted, at least the one end-side insertion portion and the opposite end-side insertion portion being formed in a cylindrical shape; and

a cylindrical rubber member mounted on at least one of one end portion and an opposite end portion of the terminal body and into which the spark plug or the plug cord is inserted,

wherein the rubber member includes;

an inner cylindrical portion inserted into a one end-side insertion portion or the opposite end-side insertion portion of the terminal body,

an outer cylindrical portion positioned close to an outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion and disposed with the terminal body interposed between the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion, and

a connecting portion that connects a lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion to a portion of the inner cylindrical portion that extends below the lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion, and

the inner cylindrical portion includes;

two annular protrusion extending radially outward from the inner cylindrical portion that come into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the terminal body.

8. The plug cap according to claim 7,

wherein the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body,

the electrical connection portion includes:

a connector bracket having one end portion that comes into contact with the spark plug, and

a leading end portion of the inner cylindrical portion, facing the opposite end of the terminal body, that extends to one end face of the connector bracket, or is positioned closer to the opposite end portion of the terminal body than the one end face of the connector bracket.

9. The plug cap according to claim 8,

wherein the spark plug includes:

a cylindrical metal shell; and

an insulator inserted into the metal shell wherein a rear end-side body portion is exposed from the metal shell,

a step portion and a cylindrical portion, positioned closer to the metal shell than the step portion, and formed on the outer periphery of the rear end-side body portion, with the rear end-side body portion inserted into the one end-side insertion portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug,

the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body, and

the two annular protrusions are formed on the inner cylindrical portion at a position that faces the cylindrical portion of the rear end-side body portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug.

10. The plug cap according to claim 7,

wherein a length of the inner cylindrical portion from the connecting portion is larger than a length of the outer cylindrical portion from the connecting portion.

11. The plug cap according to claim 7,

wherein the rubber member includes a reduced-diameter portion having a diameter that is reduced stepwise and/or continuously toward the opposite end portion of the terminal body opposite to the end portion of both of the end portions of the terminal body on which the rubber member is mounted, and

the reduced-diameter portion is formed at a leading end portion of the outer cylindrical portion facing the opposite end portion of the terminal body portion.

12. The plug cap according to claim 7,

wherein the outer cylindrical portion includes an annular engaged portion having a concave shape formed on an inner peripheral surface at a lower-most portion of the inner cylindrical portion of the rubber member.

13. A plug cap comprising:

an electrical connection portion that electrically connects a spark plug to a plug cord, the spark plug being connected to one end of the electrical connection portion and the plug cord being connected to an opposite end of the electrical connection portion;

a terminal body made of a resin is provided on an outer periphery of the electrical connection portion and includes a one end-side insertion portion formed at one end of the terminal body and into which the spark plug is inserted, and an opposite end-side insertion portion formed at an opposite end of the terminal body and into which the plug cord is inserted, at least the one end-side insertion portion and the opposite end-side insertion portion being formed in a cylindrical shape; and

a cylindrical rubber member mounted on at least one of one end portion and an opposite end portion of the terminal body and into which the spark plug or the plug cord is inserted,

wherein the rubber member includes;

an inner cylindrical portion inserted into a one end-side insertion portion or the opposite end-side insertion portion of the terminal body,

an outer cylindrical portion positioned close to an outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion and disposed with the terminal body interposed between the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion, and

a connecting portion that connects a lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion to a portion of the inner cylindrical portion that extends below the lower-most portion of the outer cylindrical portion, and

the inner cylindrical portion includes;

at least one annular protrusion extending radially outward from the inner cylindrical portion and coming into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the terminal body, and

at least one of the annular protrusions extending radially outward is arranged directly facing an annular engaged portion formed on the inner peripheral surface at the lower-most portion of the inner cylindrical portion of the rubber member.

14. The plug cap according to claim 13,

wherein the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body,

the electrical connection portion includes:

a connector bracket having one end portion that comes into contact with the spark plug, and

a leading end portion of the inner cylindrical portion, facing the opposite end of the terminal body, that extends to one end face of the connector bracket, or is positioned closer to the opposite end portion of the terminal body than the one end face of the connector bracket.

15. The plug cap according to claim 13,

wherein at least one of the annular protrusion includes two annular portions are provided at the inner cylindrical portion, and are formed on the inner cylindrical portion in a range of a length of the outer cylindrical portion.

16. The plug cap according to claim 15,

wherein the spark plug includes:

a cylindrical metal shell; and

an insulator inserted into the metal shell wherein a rear end-side body portion is exposed from the metal shell,

a step portion and a cylindrical portion, positioned closer to the metal shell than the step portion, and formed on the outer periphery of the rear end-side body portion, with the rear end-side body portion inserted into the one end-side insertion portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug,

the rubber member is mounted on the one end portion of the terminal body, and

the two annular protrusions are formed on the inner cylindrical portion at a position that faces the cylindrical portion of the rear end-side body portion when the plug cap is connected to the spark plug.

17. The plug cap according to claim 13,

wherein a length of the inner cylindrical portion from the connecting portion is larger than a length of the outer cylindrical portion from the connecting portion.

18. The plug cap according to claim 13,

wherein the rubber member includes a reduced-diameter portion having a diameter reduced stepwise and/or continuously toward the opposite end portion of the terminal body opposite to the end portion of both of the end portions of the terminal body on which the rubber member is mounted, and

the reduced-diameter portion is formed at a leading end portion of the outer cylindrical portion facing the opposite end portion of the terminal body portion.